Insulting Misidentification

To the Editors of The Crimson:

On March 8, Mercia Andrews, the national organizer for the South African Workers' Organization for Socialist Action (WOSA), spoke at Harvard. An article in The Crimson described Andrews as a "white South African" (March 9). Apparently, The Crimson reporter guessed Andrews' race judging from her skin color, but Andrews is not white. She is officially classified by the South African government as Black and referred several times during her talk to Black South Africans as "we."

Like the majority of South Africans, she is not allowed the vote or other elementary political rights because of her race. Moreover, in this country the phrase, "white South African," suggests a member of a privileged and oppressive elite. To describe Andrews as such is not only inaccurate but also misleading.

In addition, The Crimson made no mention of the organizations sponsoring the meeting--Inroads: Harvard's Socialist Forum, Boston Socialist Action, The Bulletin in Defense of Marxism, the W.E.B. Du Boise Institute, the Afro-American Studies Department and others. Some mention of those who worked to build the event would have been appreciated. Tom Garvey '92   Alejandro Reuss '92   Editors, Inroads Magazine